Students send flags to salute the troops

Kristen Mitchell, 10, of Kensington and her classmates from Kensington Parkwood Elementary School fold pocket flags to send to the troops with notes of thanks in honor of Veterans Day last week. "They give us their lives," said Kristen. "It's the least we can do to give back to them."

Bent over a small, cloth U.S. flag, Michael Vane folded precisely, once lengthwise, so only stripes showed, then flipped the colors so the stars were on top. Embedded in each movement were concentration and a fifth-grader's thoughts of soldiers overseas and of his mother at home.

Michael, 10, was giving up his recess at Kensington Parkwood Elementary School last Thursday to fold one of 600 small pocket flags the school is sending to soldiers in Afghanistan, along with small notes of comfort enclosed in the folds.

"I think it's a good idea because people who are risking their lives for our freedom should be thanked," said Michael, 10, whose mother has worked for 22 years as an Army nurse.

"I know what it's like for families," Michael said. "They must be heartbroken because they don't know if their moms or dads are going to make it."

The folding project was the idea of Kensington Parkwood parent Beth Krupinksi of Kensington, whose nephews had done something similar after Sept. 11, 2001.

"I just thought it was a great idea for Veterans Day to help them understand what Veterans Day is all about," Krupinski said.

So every day last week, fourth- and fifth-graders gave up their free time at recess to fold flags. Many of the flags were to be sent to the Military Police unit of fourth-grader Eli Nellis' older brother Max, who is now in Afghanistan.

"I think it's kind of cool" that so many of his classmates turned up to do it, Eli said.

Principal Barbara Liess said that Kensington Parkwood has a lot of military families, but also just has a lot of good kids.

"I give up my recess and lunch because I think it's a really good way to give back to the soldiers for what they've done for us," said Kristen Mitchell, 10, of Kensington. "They give us their lives. It's the least we can do to give back to them."

Cammie Murtha, 10, of Kensington said she liked to personalize the little pre-written poem inserted in each folded flag.

"Sometimes I write them little messages like thanks," Cammie said. "Thank you very much."

Ally Orndorff, 10, of Kensington said her cousin is in the Navy. Though she does not know if she wants to join the military, Ally said she believes the students in her class who participated in the flag folding may smile if they are someday in the armed forces and get a flag of their own from a child back home.

"I think that it's good for us to say Thank you' to the soldiers who are risking their lives to save our country and are fighting for us," Ally said.